Posts Tagged ‘Animals’

Caring for pets can teach us about Christian love

Thursday, September 19th, 2024

I was on retreat when I stumbled upon her. In truth, she was a pitiful sight to behold. Her ear was bleeding, and severely deformed, as though it had been ripped off of her, and a large tumour had taken root at the side of her face. Without a second thought, my hands reached out, Read more

Laughter in the Confession line

Thursday, November 30th, 2023

Catholic penitents and priests alike are not used to hearing laughter while lined up for confession. The solemn setting of people seated or kneeling in a confession line waiting to confess their sins is typically marked by quiet reflection. Peering out of the confession booth one day, Fr Joseph Krupp saw that his broad-chested, 32 Read more

Theology of animals: God’s plan we can all understand

Monday, May 3rd, 2021
Happy the Elephant Bronx Zoo

Over the past decade in Christian theological circles, there’s been an explosion of concern for nonhuman animals. Not many people keep up with theological trends, so no shame if you’ve missed this one. But the fact is, while much of theology is by its very nature rather abstract, this one is relatable: Large majorities of Read more

Animal testing raises the ethical question of the Covid-19 vaccine for investors

Thursday, July 16th, 2020
investors

The search for a Covid-19 vaccine highlights a massive dilemma for many ethical investors; any vaccine will be tested on animals and so violate the rights of those animals as sentient beings. Ethical investors often don’t want to invest in companies that test on animals. But many of these same people (including me) will willingly Read more

Alpacas pretending to be camels stars of Auckland church’s nativity scene

Monday, December 9th, 2019

A pair of alpacas have become unlikely stars in Massey Presbyterian Church’s annual Christmas Drive-Through. Casting the animal participants in live nativity scenes has always been a challenge in New Zealand, where there are no camels to accompany the wise men who made the trek to Bethlehem. But over the 16 years the Auckland event Read more

Dog lover’s guide for Catholics

Monday, July 16th, 2018

There are only three physical examples of God’s unconditional love for us here on Earth: the love from one’s mother, the love from one’s grandmother(s) and the love one receives from a very large dog. Read more

Stray dog becomes a furry friar

Thursday, March 16th, 2017

A stray dog stray has found a home in a Franciscan monastery. Carmelo, the schnauzer, is enjoying life now following his adoption by the brothers of the monastery of San Francisco, Cochabamba, Bolivia. Continue reading

Animal priests won’t baptise single mums’ kids: Pope

Tuesday, June 21st, 2016

Pope Francis has described priests who refuse to baptise the children of young single mothers as “animals”. Francis was speaking at a Q&A session near the end of a pastoral conference of Rome diocese on the family. Crux reported that Francis spoke of a “pastoral cruelty” at the Q&A. An example is priests who refuse Read more

Pope: You can’t love your pet and be indifferent to poor

Tuesday, May 17th, 2016

People in need deserve more love from us than our pets do, Pope Francis has said. In off-the-cuff remarks on Saturday at St Peter’s Square, he said: “How often do we see people greatly attached to cats, to dogs”, but fail to “help their neighbour, their neighbour who is in need . . . This Read more

Do bacteria go to heaven?

Friday, December 19th, 2014

So the Pope says animals are going to heaven. Even though he is not a nonbeliever Clay Farris Naff finds it a charming concecpt. But he wonders if Pope Francis meant to include bacteria? Another week, another story about Pope Francis saying something a little weird and a little cool. News reports suggested that Francis Read more